Mom & Addie - Scrapbook Circle

Next to my laptop is the layout I'm sharing today, and I just noticed the arrows. One points across, moving on. Two more point downward, focusing attention on the important parts of the page:

What's that phrase about life imitating art? I'm having one of those weeks with arrows pointing in all directions. No corner of my life has been left untouched by both blessings and challenges in the past few days. While feeling especially stressed out yesterday, I received news that my grandpa had passed away. In the chaos I paused, prayed for my family, and regrouped my thoughts. Life on this earth comes to an end. Time - my one little word - is precious. I can choose to spend my time grumbling about needing a new roof and cleaning up the leak in my kitchen, or I can be grateful for my house, for the rain we so desperately need, and for the people helping us. I can spend time stressing out over circumstances beyond my control at work, or I can channel that energy into positive thoughts and actions. Life is going to be a combination of ups and downs and sideways no matter what I do, so I choose to spend my time wisely.

Today, that means sharing this bright and happy layout. It's inspired by the January Trend Challenge at Scrapbook Circle, which you can find (and play along with!) here.

The challenge is to create a page with a "ransom note" style title or sub-title. I used the Seven Paper washi tape included in the Fresh Start kit:

I shared one of these photos on instagram and told the story behind it already, but this was the morning I left for CHA a couple weeks ago. After we were dressed, I noticed that we were both wearing charcoal gray shirts that said "home". I swear I don't dress us like twins on purpose! But it was a fun mother-daughter moment to capture :).

Hug your loved ones. Spend time doing something good for your soul today. And be sure to stop by Scrapbook Circle :). Have a good one! Tessa

Let's Do Something New - The Studio Challenges

Hello! Happy Sunday. I hope your weekend has been a good one. Today I am sharing a layout that I created for the latest challenge at The Studio:

I have been taking Studio Calico's Color Theory class, taught by Wilna Furstenberg, and this page was inspired by the second lesson. I followed the basic design of Wilna's page as I worked with complimentary colors (purple and yellow). I used a Glitz design woodgrain roller stamp to try the lesson's technique of stamping in wet paint. I love the result!

The challenge at The Studio is to use older product from your stash. I started this layout with just paint, so I didn't have any particular papers in mind. When I went hunting for purple and yellow, it was hard to find purple, not to mention the right purple. Purple is just not a color we really use as scrapbookers, is it? I did, however, find my package of the Soleil collection by Basic Grey. It came out summer of 2012. I fell in love with it all over again while I was putting this page together!

I added paper to the top and bottom of the page, and cut apart a garland to add the arrows on the page. The alphas are also Soleil.

The layout is about the new pixie style I am working on. I cut it asymmetrically, and I am still growing out the long side a bit more. :)

To play along at The Studio, join us here. Thanks for visiting and have a great day! Tessa

Keep Going - The Studio

There is a new challenge up at The Studio today :). The challenge is to choose a design team member's layout and scraplift it. I enjoy a good scraplift, and I adored a recent layout done by fellow design team member, Leslie, so this was a great challenge. Here's my take, using Basic Grey's Persimmon line and a bit of Studio Calico vellum:

This is Leslie's fabulous layout, created for our tic-tac-toe challenge last month:

I love the diagonal strips of patterned papers that Leslie created. Quilt-inspired patterns are really trendy right now, and I thought this was a great take on that idea. Leslie's arrow embellishments inspired the theme of my page:

I am preparing for the world-wide conference of my church (the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) that will be held and broadcast this coming weekend. One of the ways I like to get myself ready to receive the messages that will be shared is to go back to previous conferences, as well as talks given in other venues, and review them. In my study I came across this quote and it became the journaling for my layout:

source

These words are from this message by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland. If you need some encouragement, I highly recommend that you follow the link and watch the beautiful video, or even read the whole talk.

I loved every bit of Leslie's layout, but my process did take me in a direction of my own in some aspects. Journaling to the left of the photo as well as under my title...

A chipboard title (although I would have loved to use my Silhouette Cameo for a die-cut title - the baby was sleeping, though)...

Patterned paper at the bottom, but not both the bottom and the side...

If you'd like to play along the with us, or even just check out the rest of the design team's scraplifts (such good stuff!), please visit The Studio Challenges blog. I hope you enjoy your day and thank you for stopping by! Tessa

Quotes Portfolio - SMASH Sunday

Hello! I started a new portfolio. I bought another pink Pretty Style portfolio and have made it my quotes book. I collect favorite quotes in notebooks, art prints for my home, and on my Words board on Pinterest. I decided it was time to house them in a SMASH book, too. So, last night after Addie went to bed, I made a few pages:

First up, this colorful page. I just reorganized my SMASH book cart (the raskog IKEA cart), and I realized just how many die-cuts I have. I decided to use up some by creating a grid of die cuts at the top of this page. The die-cuts are by Basic Grey and DCWV. DCWV needs to put out a package of just typewriter die-cuts. I think I'm all out now :(.

Some of my favorite parts of this page are 1) the paint chip, 2) the polka dot bag, 3) the orangey-red woodgrain washi tape with hearts (Freckled Fawn).

My next page is this mosaic quote page made with Love My Tapes washi, fabric and lace tapes (plus a couple of other washi tapes I had in my stash):

You can read more about this page on the Love My Tapes blog today.

The third page I made is one of the bird pages in the book. I instantly thought of one of my favorite quotes about flying, which led to a quote about challenges and the sticker quote about dreams. I left spaces for more quotes to be added later, as I find the right ones.

The birds on a wire are cut from a piece of a Hambly transparency. I am hoarding the last bit of that sheet, as well as some others. I'm so sad they aren't in business anymore. I saved the gold floral die-cut from a project I did several weeks ago. I punched birds from the same gold foil paper (Chickaniddy Crafts) and placed them in the glassine bag. On the opposite page, I used the negative from punches.

You can see more photos of these pages in my flickr photostream. Thanks for visiting for SMASH Sunday! Tessa

SMASH Sunday - One Little Word book

Hello, hello! Today I am sharing more of my One Little Word SMASH book. I based this page spread on the theme of "love" and following your heart. With Valentine's Day coming up and current events in my life, the topic was a good fit.

The background pages on this spread were more modern than my style calls for, but I made it work. First, I made the starburst design on this page the base for my photos.

Some vintage paper, a red shipping tag, and several brads and sequins were all it needed. Oh, and that delicious washi tape!

The opposite page was giving me trouble. After playing for awhile, I came to the conclusion that there was only one thing to be done. I tore out the page. Yep, I just tore it out. In fact, I tore out the next one, too. The ledger page that came next was a perfect compliment to the left page, so I stopped there. I know some SMASHers are thinking, "What?! You can't do that!" Well, yes - I can. It's my book and if tearing out pages makes me happy, then I'll do it. In the long run, I think it will be beneficial, anyway. These pages are already bulging and I'm not even halfway through. Fewer pages means I can use dimensional embellishments and maintain a thinner profile :).

For the ledger page, I went the color-blocking route. I cut up different pieces of Basic Grey paper and fit them into the ledger columns. I journaled in the blank spaces. I also added an Elle's Studio tag, a gold doily, and word stickers by Cosmo Cricket. The flair is by A Flair for Buttons. This set is definitely making its way to more pages in this book :). The "follow your heart" sticker down the side is by SRM Stickers. I love how it fit perfectly in that space :).

That's all I have for today. As always, you can find all of my SMASH book pages in my flickr photostream here. I hope you enjoy the rest of your weekend. Thanks for stopping by! Tessa

SMASH Sunday - One Little Word

I added two more page spreads to my One Little Word SMASH book this past week. For the first one, I went with a "home" theme and peach/green/black color palette:

I recently picked up a bunch of Basic Grey goodies, so you'll see those all over my pages today. This page also features some Dear Lizzy 5th and Frolic, as well as a vintage playing card. I thought the blueprint tag and the home bingo card were perfect.

And see this flair? Isn't it great?! You can find a whole set of One Little Word flair in the A Flair for Buttons shop here.

The next pages shift to a pink/kraft color palette. More Basic Grey, as well as an envelope saved from the trash.

I went with a "bird" theme for these pages. I wanted this spread to be encouraging, so the thought of "singing" was a great sentiment to add.

You can see more photos in my flickr photostream. Thanks for stopping by! My next SMASH Sunday post is just two weeks away. Enjoy the rest of your weekend! Tessa

Basic Grey and SRM

When I heard Basic Grey was teaming up with SRM for a product collaboration, I was excited.  Then, when I received "Hello Luscious" in the mail, I was over the moon.  This collection is gorgeous! And I had a LOT of fun combining SRM Stickers with these pretty papers and embellies.

A tube filled with vintage wooden spools wrapped in thread, as well as a pinch of pretty beads...

A quilt-inspired card to match...

A layout that may look familiar, but wasn't really done until I added the SRM quote sticker to the photo...

A new layout with photos from Easter and a big mix of SRM stickers...

A pair of easy-peasy and fun cards...

You can find the original SRM/Basic Grey post here.  I hope your week is off to a good start!  I'll be back tomorrow with some more SRM.  Have a great day! Tessa